Festive disruption at Newcastle International Airport is among country’s lowest

Gavin Ledwith

Festive delays at Newcastle International Airport are among the shortest in the country, a new study reveals.

But if you are flying in to or out of Manchester or Gatwick airports this Christmas then you are far more likely to be held up.

Leeds Bradford Airport.

The study, by leading travel search engine Kayak, proclaims Leeds Bradford Airport as the most punctual over the holiday period.

Kayak calculated its league table by analysing data for delays at both national and international airports over the last two years.

The domestic figures for 14 airports nationwide indicate that only four per cent of flights in and out of Leeds Bradford are delayed by upwards of 30 minutes.

For Newcastle, the statistics are six per cent in both directions.

Where Newcastle scores better than Leeds Bradford is that its average time for delays beyound 30 minutes is 68 minutes compared to the Yorkshire airport’s 79 minutes.

Manchester is bottom of the domestic chart with one in five outward flights delayed by more than 30 minutes and 14 per cent of inward flights suffering likewise.

Suzanne Perry, travel expert at Kayak, comments: “The festive season is an exciting and busy time of year, but it can be stressful too. For airports that have higher chances of delays, it pays for Brits to plan ahead, check flight times and book their tickets accordingly.”

A Newcastle Airport spokesperson said: “Our goal is to be the most welcoming airport in the UK, this includes minimising delays for the travelling public.

“We will work hard with our partners, the airlines and handlers, to ensure Christmas this year is as hassle free as possible for over 135,000 customers who will be using the airport”

A table of 12 long-haul international destinations labels Delhi as the worst for delays with 25 per cent of inbound flights delayed by more than 30 minutes and 26 per cent of inbound flights falling into the same category.